TURKEY VOWS SANCTIONS IF FRANCE ADOPTS GENOCIDE BILL
The News – International, Pakistan
Oct 9 2006
ANKARA: France risks being barred from economic projects in Turkey
if it adopts a controversial bill on the massacre of Armenians under
the Ottoman Empire, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in
remarks published on Sunday. The draft law, to be debated in the
French parliament Thursday, calls for five years in prison and a fine
of 45,000 euros (57,000 dollars) for anyone who denies that the World
War I massacres constituted a genocide.
If the bill is passed, Gul said, French participation in major
economic projects in Turkey, including the planned construction of a
nuclear plant for which the tender process is expected to soon begin,
will suffer.
“We will be absolutely unable to have (such cooperation) in big
tenders,” he told the popular Hurriyet daily, adding that he had
“openly” warned his French counterpart Philippe Douste-Blazy about
the repercussions of the bill.
“The French will lose Turkey,” Gul warned in further remarks, to the
Yeni Safak newspaper. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was also
furious. “This is an issue between Turkey and Armenia. It is none
of France’s business,” he said late Saturday in Istanbul, quoted by
Anatolia news agency.
“If Turkey’s prime minister-or any other minister, a historian or an
intellectual-goes to France one day and says it was not a genocide,
what are you going to do? Throw that person in jail?” Erdogan asked.
Ankara says the bill is designed as a political gesture to
France’s Armenian community. Many here also see it as a punch below
the belt by opponents of Turkey’s European Union membership that will
tarnish the country’s image in Europe and fan anti-Western sentiment
among Turks.
Faced with increasing EU warnings that it is failing to ensure
freedom of expression, Turkey has accused the bloc of applying double
standards, arguing that France itself was blocking free debate on a
historical subject by criminalizing genocide denial. About 500 people,
activists from a small left-wing party, took to the streets in Istanbul
Sunday to protest the bill, laying a black wreath outside the French
consulate. “France stop! A boycott is coming,” they chanted. “The
genocide is a lie,” their banners read.
The Ankara Trade Chamber, which groups about 3,000 businesses,
threatened to boycott French goods, calling EU countries
“hypocritical.”
A senior lawmaker has also warned that the Turkish parliament may
retaliate with a law branding the killings of Algerians under French
colonial rule as genocide and introducing prison terms for those who
deny it.
On Saturday, Erdogan met with representatives of French companies
doing business in Turkey, among them industrial giants such as
carmaker Renault and food group Danone, urging them to lobby French
MPs to vote down the bill. The draft was first submitted in May but
the debate ran out of parliamentary time before a vote could be held.
In 2001 France adopted a resolution recognizing the massacres of
Armenians as genocide, prompting Ankara to retaliate by sidelining
French companies from public tenders and cancelling several projects
awarded to French firms.
The massacres are one of most controversial episodes in Turkish
history and open debate on the issue has only recently begun in Turkey,
often sending nationalist sentiment into frenzy. Armenians claim up
to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings
between 1915 and 1917.
Turkey categorically rejects the genocide label, arguing that
300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife
when Armenians rose for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided
with invading Russian troops as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart.

THREE PROVISIONS FROM TURKEY-SCEPTIC SARKOZY
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Oct 9 2006
PARIS and ANKARA – French Minister of Internal Affairs Sarkozy has
set up three pre-conditions after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan demanded support on so-called ‘Armenian genocide’ draft bill.
Sarkozy sets up three conditions
French Minister of Internal Affiars Sarkozy has set up three conditions
for Prime Minister Erdoðan in return for retreat his support from
the Armenian genocide denial bill:
* No historian-condition should be imposed in the commission which
will investigate the Armenian claims
* Turkey will remove clause 301 which limits freedom of thought
* Turkey will open the borders to Armenia
French sources claimed that Prime Minister Erdoðan has responded
Sarkozy’s conditions by saying: “I will think about this.”
Meanwhile France’s “Armenian genocide bill” has caused ailment in
Algeria. Algerians have blamed France for being hypocritical since
France had refused to recognize massacres in Algeria as “genocide”.
Turkey called Armenia to set up a joint commission to discuss the
historical disputes. However the Yerevan Government strongly rejected
Turkey’s offer. Armenians say “there is nothing to be discussed.
Turkey-Armenia territorial borders have been closed since the Armenian
forces occupied neigbouring Azerbaijan’s territories. 20 percent of
Azerbaijan is still under the Armenian occupation yet France put no
pressure on Armenia for the occupation. Azerbaijan and Turkey blame
France of being in Christian solidarity with Armenia.
Turkey and Azerbaijan are both Turkish and Muslim countries.
Turkey-Armenian air borders are open for air traffic. More than 70,000
Armenia citizens live and work in Turkey.
Armenia does not recognise Turkey’s national borders and accuse
Turkey of not recognising its genocide claims. Turkey says the 1915
events was communal clashes and more than 520,000 Muslim Ottomans
were massacred by the armed Armenian forces.
–Boundary_(ID_LEulbaZKlzeNI75Rft8oPQ)–

RPA LEADER FORECASTS NK PROBLEM’S SOLUTION IN 2012
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The outcome of the meeting of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Moscow on October 6
fully depends on Azerbaijan’s position, on whether it will state
a willingness to continue the negotiations from the point at which
they were discontinued. Spartak Seyranian, member of the RA National
Assembly ARF faction and the ARF Armenia Supreme Board, expressed
this opinion at the October 6 briefing.
As regards the statement that the EU Special Representative to the
South Caucasus Peter Semneby recently made in Brussels to the effect
that Armenia and Azerbaijan are playing for time in the issue of the
Karabakh conflict, S. Seyranian noted that as a rule, statements of
representatives of international structures involved in the settlement
process are based on “the subjective notions or impressions of the
given person concerning some issue.” In his opinion, “no statement
made by an official reflects the real state of affairs.”
According to the secretary of the Justice faction Grigor Harutyunian,
“there are always great expectations” prior to any meeting held within
the framework of negotiations on the Nagorno Karabakh problem, but
“unfortunatley, these expectations never realize.” He expressed an
opinion that neither the Armenian president not the Azerbaijani one
are interested in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, since
“it prolongs their term of office.”
In the view of leader of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Galust
Sahakian, the only expectation from the current meeting of the two
foreign ministers is that “dicussion volumes between the presidents
of the two countries will somewhat become active.” In connection with
P. Semneby’s statement, the deputy noted that the delay is not only
related to the two states but also conditioned by the fact that no
deep discussions take place in the international community. “I do not
see that a solution to the Nagorno Karabakh problem will be found in
2006. Moreover, I see solutions in 2012,” G. Sahakian said.

RA MPS ANXIOUS ABOUT AGGRAVATION OF RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. “I agree to the viewpoint of a
number of Russian media that if danger threatens some country, this
accelerates the process of this country’s admission to NATO.” Stepan
Zakarian, member of the People’s Party of Armenia, member of the
Ardarutiun (Justice) NA faction, declared at the October 6 discussion
at the Pakagits club dedicated to home and foreign political problems.
He expressed confidence that the Georgian events initiated by President
M.Sahakashvili were aimed at the very acceleration of the process of
Georgia’s joining NATO. S.Zakarian expressed anxiety about further
aggravation of Russian-Georgian relations and their possible impact
on Armenia. As he estimated, Armenia will suffer more from this than
Georgia. “The West, first of all the U.S. may express readiness to
compensate to Georgia the damage from blockade by Russia and who
compensates the damages of Armenia?” S.Zakarian said.
Grigor Ghonjeyan, member of the United Labor Party parliamentary
faction, also considers that aggravation of Russian-Georgian relations
will have a negative impact on hard socio-economic state of the
majority of Armenia’s population.
Both MPs held the same opinion, according to which home political
situation in the country will aggravate on the background of the
parliamentary elections to be held in 2007 spring. G.Ghonjeyan
expressed anxiety that the Armenian public lacks realization of
importance of the forthcoming elections and their significance for
the country’s future.

DELEGATION OF THE PROVANCE ALP COTE D’AZUR TO ARIVE IN ARMENIA
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 7 2006
The delegation headed by governor of the French State of Provance Alp
Cote d’Azur Michael Vozel will arrive in Armenia today. The delegation
will comprise businessmen, culture figures, as well as representatives
of the Armenian community of the state.
The roots of Armenia’s cooperation with the State of Provance Alp
Cote d’Azur date back to the 1988 earthquake. In 2003 the state’s
delegation visited RA Lori marz.
The visit of the delegation will confer new dynamics to the development
of bilateral cooperation in the spheres of culture and economy.
During the three-day stay in Armenia the delegation of Provance Alp
Cote d’Azur will visit Echmiadzin and Tsitsernakaberd. Meetings with
RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian,
Education and Science Minister Levon Lazarian and Minister of Culture
and Youth Affairs Hasmik Poghosyan.
The visit will be concluded with a press conference.

TURKEY “THREATENS” FRANCE
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 7 2006
Spokesman of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Namik Tan
told the journalists that in case the French Parliament adopts draft
criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, Ankara “will hardly
be able to control” the counteraction of the Turkish society.
According to the Turkish “Zaman,” Namik Tan confessed that Ankara is
seriously concerned with the inclusion of the draft law in the agenda.
Noting that in the past the Armenian question was also poisoning
French-Turkish relations. Tan said that the current bill will become
a serious blow to the relations between the two countries and the
success achieved in the past. Tan said that with adoption of the bill,
“France will abolish the freedom of speech.”
Namik Tan expressed the hope that France will be reasonable enough
not to adopt the bill jeopardizing Turkish-French relations.
The Spokesman said also that the leadership of his country is making
every effort to prevent adoption of the bill. “October 4 President
Ahmed Sezer sent a letter to Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Rejeb
Tayyib Erdogan will have a meeting with French businessmen in Istanbul,
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had a telephone conversation with the
Foreign Minister of France,” said Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Turkey.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN MET IN MOSCOW
Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 7 2006
Under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, October 6 in Moscow
RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Vardan Oskanian participated in
consultations with the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan. In a day-long
meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Ministers assessed
the current situation, identified the problematic issues still in
dispute, and heard the Co-Chairs’ ideas as to how to overcome those
differences. Minister Oskanian said the Armenian side has taken note
of the discussion, which he characterized as food for thought and said
they would receive serious consideration prior to the next meeting
before the end of the month.
In the framework of the Minsk Group meeting, Russian Minister
of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov received Minister Oskanian. The
bilateral meeting between the two ministers began with a discussion
on the negotiations and the situation surrounding Nagorno Karabakh.
They also discussed recent developments in the South Caucasus and
possible outcomes. Minister Oskanian and Minister Lavrov also explored
other bilateral issues.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRISON PSYCHOTHERAPY MAY PROVE EFFECTIVE
Evika Babayan
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Oct 7 2006
Civic Action Center NGO has recently held a seminar for the staff of
the prison of Shushi on prison psychotherapy. “During the monitoring
of prisons our organization helps inmates who need psychologist’s
help. Moreover, the psychologist of the CAC works with the staff of
the prisons,” says the director of the center Albert Voskanian. Zoya
Mayilian, the psychologist of the center says the necessity for prison
psychotherapy occurred due to the need of inmates for psychologist’s
help, as well as the insufficiency of ordinary methods. In answer to
our question whether prison psychotherapy may have a beneficial effect
on the prisoner’s psychology, Zoya Mayilian said it may prevent clashes
between individuals and groups of inmates, suicides, as well as help
them get used to the prison life, correctional methods more easily.

PROBLEM OF HOUSING, AND HOW IT IS SOLVED
Laura Grigorian
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Oct 7 2006
One of the important components of the social policy in
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is housing. A great number of villages
were destroyed during shelling. The population of other villages was
displaced, and the villages were ruined. For several years now the
government and benefactors have been funding repair and construction
of houses in these villages. The problem is different in Stepanakert.
A great number of refugees moved to Stepanakert, who did not have
houses, plus the families of killed freedom fighters and the disabled
of the Artsakh war. As long ago as in the 1969-1970s it was almost
impossible to get a flat in Stepanakert, and it is clear that the
newly-established republic cannot afford to build houses for everyone
for free like in the Soviet times, therefore it attends to the
socially insecure families mainly in the framework of a free housing
policy. Nevertheless, according to Armen Hakobian, the head of the
department of housing, public utilities of the City Hall, there is a
way out. There is a program on allocating free plot of land to build a
house on the application of the citizen. Those who can afford to build
a house, including on a loan, accept this offer and are checked out
of the lists of the free housing policy. Armen Hakobian also informed
that 184 families of killed freedom fighters are registered for the
free housing policy of the government. The head of the department of
housing and public utilities said although every year the government
provides some families with apartments, their number grows for some
reasons, such as new members in the family, social problems, etc. The
number of people registered in this program also grows because now
most people move from villages to the capital to find jobs and after
renting a house for three years they apply for an apartment.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: ELECTION PASSIONS RUN HIGH IN NETHERLANDS
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2006 13:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Protests against the exclusion of three candidates
– ethnic Turks denying the Armenian Genocide – are going on. Parties
lose votes, chairman of the Federation of the Federation of Armenian
organizations of Netherlands Mato Hakhverdyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. However, he remarked that the number of those discontent with
the three candidates excluded is growing and the rating of the Labor
Party and Christian Democrats has raised with 3 per cent. “Yesterday
one of the leading TV channels covered a rally held by Turk students
in one of the Dutch towns in protest of violations of freedom of
speech. Turkish organizations met with Christian Democrats, who have
not abandoned their position since the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide in 2004. They called on Turks to discussion on the Genocide,”
Hakhverdyan said. The parliamentary election is due in Netherlands
on November 22.